1967 Hatteras 34 SF. Full restore. Removing strakes?

[Hopffc2003]

In the process of doing a complete restoral. And I noticed the wooden (Teak) Strakes on the rear sides of the boat. Most boats do not have these and as they are rotted in places Im wondering If keeping them is a good idea. I habe heard that they serve a purpose something about Helping stabalize the boat. But am insure of there real purpose if its only asthetics Ill remove. Thanks in advance. John.

[SKYCHENEY]

I think they act as a rub rail as the hull shape curves in at the top especially the further aft you go.

[madhatter1]

They are in fact rub rails. Do not remove, fix and replace. I regret removing ours on our 34. The 46 has them and they are staying in place.

[oscarvan]

Yes on the rub rail. Unless your docking skills are well above average it's nice to be able to kiss a pole there without boogering up your topsides.

[rrr]

Send us pictures of your progress . good luck Ray

[bostonhatteras]

In my opinion they are mainly aesthetic. Sure it MAY prevent some dock rash within the 10' or so, but what about the rest of the hull? the sections forward of the spray rail can just as easily get scraped by the dock so that logic doesn't pass with me. what if the dock is below the spray rail? As you found, they are teak and weigh quite a bit. the stainless rub strake on them is solid and has significant weight too. loosing that weight can only help efficiency and or speed. youll find about a million blisters behind them once they are removed as hatteras either used no bedding or the oil base bedding and that failed decades ago. another aspect of them is that you are held approx 4" further off the dock so any timid passengers now have a longer gap to jump when boarding (4" + 10" fender = 14" gap). some people are fine when aboard but I've seen passengers literally crawl onboard because they had to pass over the gap between the boat and the dock with the seeming black hole under them. It was funny to me but certainly not to them. fashioning new teak spray rails will be $$$, maybe $1000 per side for stock with prices as they are now then you have to machine them accurately and through bolt them due to the weigh. accessing the rear to bolt them may be impossible as they were installed before the deck was put on the hull. if you take them off and find you wish you had them or some sort of spray rail, you can always use pvc rails and Methyl acylate two part glue to apply new versions.

[madhatter1]

As an owner of a 34 they make a big difference. Due to the shape of the hull at the waterline there is not much clearance. Any growth on the piling is bad news on extra low tides. This is one of the many thing I know "not because I am smart".

[bigbill]

the shape of the aft of the hull is called tumblehome. the aft quarter fenders not only deflect spray but also act as a rub rail for the aft end of the boat. the deck level rub rail will not touch the piling near the stern of the boat just like the forward portion of the rub rail, the aft quarter fenders are there for a purpose. hatteras put them there for a reason

[34Hatt]

I have own a 34' C for 21 years now and as other have said DO NOT REMOVE them.
You can replace them with PVC ones as mine was done 26 years ago and is the way to go.

Good luck Dan

[Play'N Hooky Too]

They are for aesthetics...as in keeping the dock pilings from rubbing the paint off the side of the hull in that area which would be very un-aesthetic. Replace them with PVC or fashion new composite ones using Coosa board or similar.